make one tick

make one tick {v. phr.}

To cause to operate; to motivate.

He is so secretive that we are unable to figure out what makes him tick.

Categories:

Source: A Dictionary of American Idioms

» In Russian

To section: M

Subscribe to: American Idioms

✉

Our RSS-channels

Show All

See as well

tick off

[tick off] {v.} 1. To mention one after the other; list. * /The teacher ticked off the assignments that Jane had to do./ 2. To scold; rebuke. * /The boss […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

not to know what to make of

[not to know what to make of] {v. phr.} To be unable to decipher; be unable to identify; not know how to decide what something really is. * /I got […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

make neither head nor tail of

[make neither head nor tail of] {v. phr.} To be unable to figure something out. * /This puzzle is so complicated that I can make neither head nor tail of […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

make sure

[make sure] {v. phr.} To see about something yourself; look at to be sure. * /Father makes sure that all the lights are off before he goes to bed./ * […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

Recent updates

из огня да в полымя

[из огня да в полымя] {proverb} ~ out of the frying pan into the fire

public enemy

[public enemy] {n. phr.} A famous criminal. * /Al Capone of Chicago used to be Public Enemy Number One during prohibition./

Cardinal de Retz

(1613-1679), French politician Nothing sways the stupid more than arguments they can't understand.

double-check

[double-check] {v.} 1. To do a double check on; look at again very carefully. * /When the last typing of his book was […]